Popular Tamil and Telugu actors Suriya and Jyothika tied the knot at a scintillating function here Monday morning.

The long-awaited wedding came days after the release of their film "Jillunnu Oru Kaadhal". It is probably their last film together because Jyothika is planning to retire from cinema after the marriage.

The guest list at the wedding and the reception read like a who's who of Chennai filmdom and public life.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who handed 'mangalasutra' to Suriya's father Sivakumar to be handed to the groom, was present with his nephew and union minister Dayanidhi Maran.

Karunanidhi's arch-rival and former chief Minister J. Jayalalitha also attended the function and blessed the couple.

The reception was as much a star-studded affair as the wedding. Kamal Haasan, Sathyaraj, Vijay, Abbas and Jyothika's sister Nagma were among those present at the reception, apart from prominent political leaders and personalities like Cho Ramaswamy.

Suriya and Jyothika's romance began with their first film "Poovellaam Kettuppaar" two years ago and their on-screen chemistry has been conspicuous ever since.

They repeated their magic in films like "Kaakha Kaakha" and "Perazhagan".

There had been talk of their off-screen affair, but they were strenuously denied, especially by Sivakumar, a star of yesteryears.

Sivakumar, who had reservations about the couple's marriage plans, eventually gave his consent and conducted the wedding in front of an august gathering.

The first star wedding of the South was between Gemini Ganesan and Savithri in the late 1950s. More recent was the memorable Ajith-Shalini wedding, after which the bride gave up acting.